The Tool Repertoire of Bossou Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees in the wild make and use a diverse and rich kit of tools and, with the exception of humans, they are the only living primates to habitually or customarily use and make tools during their daily activities. Tool-use behavior in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) has been observed at all field sites where chimpanzees have been studied. The Bossou chimpanzees (P. t. verus) display a large repertoire of tool-using behaviors, some of which are unique to this community. This chapter aims to present globally the diversity of tool-use behaviors of the Bossou chimpanzees, highlighting their age-class, sex, and temporal distribution, the diversity of domains in which they are observed, and patterns of hand use during tool manipulation. We also briefly discuss the relevance of tool use among Bossou chimpanzees to understanding innovation and cultural evolution in chimpanzees. Because each community of chimpanzees has a unique material cultural repertoire within the feeding, social, and hygiene domains, we also describe how the tool-use repertoire of the Bossou community differs from that recorded in other communities.